AP US History · Score estimator
AP US History score calculator
By the CollegePrepRoom editorial team · Updated · How we write and check these pages
Enter your multiple-choice correct answers, your total short-answer points across the three SAQs, and your DBQ and LEQ rubric scores. The estimator applies the APUSH section weights and compares the composite with approximate score cutoffs.
Estimate your AP U.S. History score
Estimated AP score
4
Weighted composite: 59% of the maximum. This is close to a cutoff, so the real result could easily be one score higher or lower.
This is an unofficial estimate. It is not a score report, and it does not predict your result.
How the AP U.S. History exam is weighted
- Multiple choice: 55 questions, 40% of the score.
- Short answer: three questions worth 3 points each, 20% of the score.
- Document-based question: scored out of 7, 25% of the score. Long essay: scored out of 6, 15% of the score.
- Because the DBQ is worth 25% across only 7 points, each DBQ point moves the composite by more than 3.5 percentage points, more than any other single point on the exam.
| Part | Raw points | Share of the exam score |
|---|---|---|
| Multiple-choice questions correct | 55 | 40% |
| Short-answer points (3 questions) | 9 | 20% |
| DBQ | 7 | 25% |
| LEQ | 6 | 15% |
How this estimate works
The calculator converts each part to a share of its maximum, multiplies it by that part's weight, and adds the results to get a weighted composite between 0% and 100%. It then compares the composite with approximate cutoffs for each AP score:
| Estimated AP score | Approximate composite needed |
|---|---|
| 5 | About 70% or higher |
| 4 | About 57% or higher |
| 3 | About 44% or higher |
| 2 | About 30% or higher |
| 1 | Below about 30% |
These cutoffs are our approximations, informed by the general pattern of scoring information the College Board has released for past exams. Real cutoffs are set each year from that year's results, can move in either direction, and are not published for current exams. Multiple-choice answers are scored only for correct responses; there is no penalty for a wrong answer.
- Score your DBQ point by point: thesis, contextualization, two evidence-from-documents points, evidence beyond the documents, sourcing and complexity.
- SAQ points add up quickly: 9 points carry 20% of the composite, so each SAQ point is worth about 2 percentage points.
What each AP score means
| AP score | College Board description |
|---|---|
| 5 | Extremely well qualified |
| 4 | Very well qualified |
| 3 | Qualified |
| 2 | Possibly qualified |
| 1 | No recommendation |
Colleges set their own policies for credit and placement, so check each college's policy directly.
How the free-response questions are scored
Not sure what your essays or short answers would earn? Each guide walks through the rubric row by row.
AP US History score calculator: FAQ
Is this AP score calculator accurate?
It is an approximation. The weights follow the published section weights, but the cutoffs between AP scores are set each year from that year's results, and they are not published for all exams. Treat the result as a rough guide to where you stand. It does not predict your exam score.
How is the APUSH exam weighted?
Multiple choice counts for 40%, short-answer questions for 20%, the DBQ for 25% and the LEQ for 15%.
How many points is the APUSH DBQ worth?
The DBQ is scored out of 7 points and counts for 25% of the exam score.
How many SAQ points are there in APUSH?
There are three short-answer questions, each with parts A, B and C worth one point, for 9 points in total.
More AP score calculators
Practice with free AP US History questions or see the AP US History course.